Airline Analysis

The Concorde’s supersonic run to Australia is still far from certain, as far as a firm start-date is concerned. There is still lndian airspace to consider before Concorde can really hack a big enough slice off the day-long trip between London and Melbourne.

AADR hope along with the rest of Australia’s paying public, that whatever comes out of the Federal government’s melting-pot after consideration of. the international airline policy review proves to be something at least chewable.

Minister Nixon, beset with increasing complexities and complications while trying to decide if its the rest of the world which is out of step, or Australia, has an admittedly admittedly hard row to hoe.

He might be persuaded to modify his original suggestion of an Aviation Industry Consultative Council on a grand scale, in an effort to bring the real experts of international aviation into the fight to give passengers a better deal.

And to rationalise methods of a de-registration of airline routes on the American scale – without that horrific open slather situation which could result in a free for all.

When all is said and done, passengers are only interested in getting from A to B comfortably, safely, and as cheaply as possible.

Qantas latest profit should allay any fears that Australia’s flag-carrier will go broke – or is likely to, if a free market develops.

On the domestic side, Australia’s major networks served by Ansett Airlines of Australia and Trans-Australia Airlines have been plugging along comfortably, unmoved by paper aeroplanes offered by various US corporations as being the one the most likely to replace the Boeing 727-DC-9 combination.

Nearing the 10,000,000 a year mark, the domestics are still officially uncommitted about their replacements, despite an  Airbus lndustrie super-active lobby. Growth rate is a steady seven per cent.

Ansett’s intra-State network is also making a respectable profit through sound operational flexibility, despite in­ternal flight crew troubles regarding seniority lists.

One of the dark horses to watch this year is most certainly East-West Airlines. This little profit-maker has made significant strides during the past year in terms of operating brilliance, good marketing attack and service to the travelling public.

But as AADR observed in its first issue last year, it isn’t Australia’s internal networks which need a purge.

It would be refreshing if Mr Nixon would let the other boys who knows all about airlines and how they knit-in with other chaps’ outfits, play in his yard for a while.

Sometimes the real experts really do know better, despite political granny-knotting which never fits in with reality as far as ordinary people who sit in the airliners’ seats are concerned.